GIFT  OF 


l--^ 


•3'i3^ 


ADDRESS 


To  the  Alumni  and  Friends  of  the 

University  of  North  Carolina : 


The  following  extract  is  fiom  the  report  of  the  Treasurer 
of  the  University,  in  I^ovember,  1868: 

*^  The  indebtedness  of  the  University  is  estimated  to  be 
not  much  less  than  $60,000,  though  I  have  been  unable 
to  ascertain  the  exact  amount.  To  secure  these  debts,  a 
deed  in  trust  was  executed  on  the  30th  of  April,  1867, 
conveying  about  one  thousand  acres  of  land  and  other 
valuable  property,  in  the  county  of  Orange,  belonging  to 
the  University,  and  also  about  five  thousand  acres  of  land 
in  the  county  of  Buncombe.  The  payment  of  these  debts, 
or  the  closing  of  the  trust,  will  be  enforced  at  an  early  day, 
and  it  will  be  for  the  Legislature  to  determine  whether 
this  valuable  property  shall  be  sold  under  the  trust,  or  a 
sufficient  appropriation  be  made  to  satisfy  the  debts,  and 
thereby  redeem  the  property." 

It  is  hoped  that  a  judicial  determination  will  soon  be 
had  which  will  more  precisely  fix  the  habilities  of  the 
University.  I  deem  the  present  a  suitable  time,  when  I 
may,  as  an  Alumnus^  submit  a  proposition  for  its  relief. 
Before  doing  so,  however,  it  will  not  be  improper  for  me 
to  recur  briefly  to  some  leading  events  that  have  marked 
my  connection  with  the  Institution. 

I  entered  the  Freshman  Class  of  the  University  in  the 
year  1849,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  graduated  in  1853. 
During  the  same  year  I  was  appointed  by  the  Trustees  to 
the  Tutorship  of  Mathematics  and  entered  upon  the  dis- 
charge of  my  duties  in  that  department  in  January,  1854. 
Six  years  thereafter  I  was  appointed,  without  application, 
to  the  position  of  Adjunct  Professor  of  Pure  Mathematics. 
As  there  were  at  that  time  twb^,!BrpJfe{$80i*s  of  Mathematics, 


and  my  promotion  left  no  Tutor  ia  that  department,  I 
accepted  this  act  on  the  part  of  the  Trustees  as  a  token 
of  theur  favor;  and  having  declined  invitations  to  full 
Professorships  in  tv^o  other  institutiong  of  learning,  con- 
tinued in  the  servicfe  of  the  University.  The  vocation  was 
congenial  to  my  feelings,  and  I  regarded  the  position  as 
one  of  useftililess  and  honor.  In  1866  I  applied  to  the 
Trustees  for  a  fiirlough.  The  reason  offered  by  me  lor 
this  step^^,  that,  the  scanty  and  insufficient  sum  derived 
through  the  limited  patronage  which  the  University  then 
had,|aight  air  go  to  eke  out  the  salaries  of-^ny  6Mer  col- 
leagues in  the  Faculty.  Th^  application  "§rats  promptly 
g^ted,  and  I  resolved  to  hold  myself  m  readiness  to 
,v;?' return  to  the  Institution  whenever  the  Trustees  might 
.[00  request  my  services.  In  1868  I  was  appointed  a  Trustee, 
^-'       and  in  January,  1869^  I  was  Invited  to  the  Presidency. 

I  had  observed  the  management  and  condition  of  the 
University  too  closely  to  be  ignorant  of  its  great  embar- 
rassment at  that  time.  I  was  not  unmindful  of  the  heavy 
responsibilities  with  which  my  re-entrance  upon  duty,  in 
this  new  position,  would  burdeni^e.  I  saw  that  the 
number  of  students  had  greatly  decreased ;  that  the  Insti- 
tution had  lost  much  of  its  former  prestige;  that  its 
endowment  was  gone;  that  its  valuable  property  had 
been  mortgaged  for  heavy  debts,  some  of  which,  especially 
those  due  the  estate  of  its  former  President,  were  legal 
and  entirely  just;  that  the  buildings  were  in  need  of  re- 
pairs, and  their  roofs  leaking  to  such  a  degree  as  to  imperil 
the  books  and  property  in  the  Libraries;  that  although 
the  death  of  President  Swain  had  occurred  several  months 
before,  and  the  Trustees,  at  a  public  meeting,  held  in  the 
Senate  Chamber,  in  the  City  of  Ealeigh,  in  IsTovember,  had 
taken  action  looking  to  the  appointment  of  a  Faculty  on 
the  first  day  of  January  following,  yet,  so  far  as  I  could 
^  ascertain,  there  had  been  no  applicant  for  the  position,  nor 
was  any  one  known  to  be  willing  to  assume  the  duties  and 
responsibilities  of  the  Presidency  under  such  embarragsing 
circumstances.  I  was  recalled,  and  the  position  was 
tendered  to  me. ;  F014  Momena;  I  hesitarted.    Some  of  my 


■'K-. 


■K 


friends  advised  me  to  decline  the  offer.  They  believed 
that  my  best  efforts  would  pro;^e^ut  a  thankless  task. 
They  reminded  me  of  my  duty  IS;  my  family.  I  was 
holding  a  quiet  and  remtiinerative  office,  from  which  I 
realized  an  actual  income  much  greater  than  I  could  even 
hope,  under  the  most  favorable  circumstanc^f  sto  receive 
as  President  of  the  University.  I  '^s  aware  t^at  my 
predecessor  had  been  a  gentleman  of  rare  talents  ana  long 
experience,  and  that  Iiis  place  would  be  difficult- to  fill.  I 
foresaw  that  ^very  act  of  mine  would  be  the  subject  of 
keen  criticism,  Vim  dreaded  to  undertake  the  performance 
of  a  task  so  hazardous. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  exercises  of  the  Institution  had 
been  suspended,  and  it  was  suggested  that,  should  I  refuse 
my  services,  the  day  might  be  distant  on  which  its  doors 
could  be  re-opened.  I  was  convinced  that  the  buildings 
should  be  occupied,  and  was  unwiUing  that  the  superior 
facilities  for  education,  which  could  here  be  afforded,  should 
remain  unoffered  while  so  many  of  our  youth  were  grow- 
ing up  in  idleness  or  turning  their  steps  to  the  Colleges 
of  other  and  distant  States.  Neither  the  former  Board 
of  Trustees  nor  the  present  one,  in  their  conduct  towards 
me,  had  given  me  any  cause  of  complaint.  Both  had 
seemed  to  manifest  their  partiality  by  tendering  me  posi- 
tions which  other  gentlemen  were  more  competent  than 
myself  to  fill.  At  my  own  request  the  Trustees  of  the 
CTniversity  had  promptly  granted  me  leave  of  absence ;  I 
returned  at  their  bidding. 

By  some,  my  com'se  has  been  severely  censured.  By 
others,  it  has  been  warmly  approved  and  applauded.  It 
has  not  yet  occasioned  me  any  regret  or  self-reproach. 

I  supposed  that  the  present  Trustees  were  a  legally  con- 
stituted body,  and  that  their  offer  to  me  was  made  in 
good  faith.  When  they  invited  me  to  my  present  posi- 
tion, it  was  not  distinctly  stated  that  my  services  would 
be  required  for  only  a  limited  time ;  nor  have  I  yet  been 
officially  informed  as  to  the  precise  date  when  my  term 
of  office  will  expire.  Yet  it  has  been  generously  intimated 
to  me  by  other  parties,  from  time  to  time,  through  the 


columns  of  our  State  papers,  that  my  successor  would 
soon  be  chosen.  I  have  recently  had  the  honor  of  observ- 
ing the  nomination  of  several  distinguished  gentlemen  for 
my  position. 

I  have  always  desired  to  see  a  fair  and  free  discussion 
of  all  questions  pertaining  to  the  University.  In  my  first 
public  report,  at  the  annual  commencement  in  June,  1869, 
I  invited  a  careful  public  scrutiny  of  the  Institution.  I 
have  not  objected  to  a  just  and  respectful  criticism.  Mis- 
representatiop,  ridicule  and  scandal  are  resorted  to  only 
by  the  consciously  weak,  but  with  the  ignorant  they  are 
often  more  potent  than  truth  and  reason.  The  vulgar 
and  unscrupulous  deal  blows  which  gentlemen  of  cultiva- 
tion and  refinement  seldom  condescend  to  give,  and  often 
find  themselves  poorly  prepared  to  parry. 

I  have  not  infi:equently  found  it  difficult  to  distiuguish 
the  friends  of  the  University  from  its  eneuLies.  Some  who 
should  be  its  friends,  by  an  indefatigable  use  of  their  pens, 
have  done  much  to  turn  the  tide  of  patronage  away  from 
the  Institution  and  the  State.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
the  efforts  of  anonymous  writers,  who  claim  to  be  its 
Mends,  have  only  tended  to  bring  the  University  into  dis- 
repute. If  their  time  and  ingenuity  had  been  more  ju- 
diciously expended,  all  differences  might  long  ago  have 
been  adjusted,  all  classes  reconciled,  and  the  Institution 
^  set  forward  upon  a  career  of  prosperity  and  usefulness. 
If  the  immense  service  so  freely  rendered,  had  been  dif- 
ferently directed,  and  the  labors  of  these  professed  friends 
had  been  combined  in  some  useful  employment,  in  the 
field  or  the  factory,  they  might  have  earned  enough  money 
to  pay  off  the  debt  that  now  weighs  down  the  Institution. 

I  have  entertained  the  opinion  that  the  present  unfor- 
tunate condition  of  the  University  has  resulted  mainly  from 
its  financial  embarrassment.  Had  it  been  free  from  debt 
in  1869,  and  able  to  boast  of  an  endowment  yielding  a 
handsome  income,  the  course  pursued  towards  it  would 
have  been  very  different.  Prior  to  the  war  it  was  well 
endowed  and  prosperous.  Its  Trustees  were  not  compell- 
ed to  look  long  or  far  away  for  Professors  to  fill  its  vacant 


chairs.  Its  defects,  though  observed,  were  not  eagerly 
pnbUshed.  The  tongue  of  scandal  was  silent.  True 
Mends  are  sometimes  more  clearly  revealed  in  the  dark- 
ness of  adversity  than  in  the  light  of  prosperity. 

While  the  debts  of  the  University  are  unpaid,  and  it 
continues  to  be  made  a  theme  of  political  discussion  by 
the  press  and  upon  the  stump,  there  can  be  but  little  hope 
of  its  real  prosperity  and  usefulness.  So  long  as  it  is  felt 
that  the  whole  character  of  the  Institution  must  be  affec- 
ted by  the  ascendency  of  this  or  that  party,  it  cannot  re- 
ceive the  confidence  and  support  of  the  people.  There 
should  be  one  place,  at  least,  in  North  Carolina  to  which 
our  youth  may  retire  from  the  din  and  heat  of  party  strife, 
to  pursue  in  quiet  the  walks  of  Literature  and  Science. 
That  place  should  be  the  University.  In  reply  to  a  letter 
from  me,  one  of  the  purest  and  most  energetic  men  of  the 
State  writes,  under  date  of  April  26th,  1870 :  **Oordially 
do  1  reciprocate  your  expression  that  political  fervor  and 
partizan  strife  are  the  grand  errors  of  our  people  at  this 
time.  That  they  are  not  only  the  occasion  of  our  barren 
and  desolate  fields,  but  are  sowing  seeds  of  bitterness  in 
families  and  neighborhoods,  and  of  irreligion  and  infidelity 
in  the  hearts  of  our  children.  This  quotation  from  your 
letter  should  be  emblazoned  upon  the  doors  of  all  our 
public  offices  and  institutions,  and  places  of  pleasure  and 
business,  and  its  spirit  cherished  in  the  hearts  of  all  our 
fellow-citizens,  and  then  would  soon  arise  a  brighter  and 
better  day  for  the  impoverished  and  struggling  citizens  of 
our  mother  State.  As  long  as  her  ripphng  waters  flow 
from  her  mountains  to  the  ocean,  or  the  pine  trees  of  her 
eastern  plains  shall  bend  before  impending  storms,  I  shall 
love  her  in  all  her  parts,  in  all  her  interests,  and  in  all  her 
population." 

In  the  months  of  August  and  September,  1869, 1  pub- 
lished in  the  Kaleigh  Sentinel,  over  the  signature  of  **A 
ISToRTH  Carolikian,"  a  series  of  communications  upon 
the  subject  of  the  "  University  and  the  Public  SchoolsJ'^ 
In  the  last  of  these  I  took  occasion  to  use  the  following 
language :    "During  the  decade  beginning  with  the  yeax 


6  ^- 

1808,  the  University  recorded  715  matriculates  and  110 
graduates.  Beginning  with  the  year  1818,  there  were 
1,308  matriculates  and  259  graduates ;  with  the  year  1828, 
there  were  1,005  matriculates  and  146  graduates ;  with 
the  year  1838,  there  were  1,597  matriculates  and  308 
graduates  ;  with  the  year  1848,  there  were  2,923  matric- 
ulates and  448  graduates ;  with  the  year  1858,  there  were 
1,872  matriculates  and  410  graduates;  making  a  grand 
total  of  nearly  10,000  matriculates. 

During  the  period  of  twenty  years,  beginning  wit^June, 
1848,  nearly  one  thousand  of  these  were  my  college 'mates, 
and  above  three  thousand  have  been  my  pupils.  Man;fof 
those  who  were  dear  to  me  in  life's  spring-time,  and  whose 
increasing  usefulness  I  watched  with  anxious  and  affec- 
tionate interest,  now  rest  quietly  in  their  graves.  Their 
names  are  upon  the  record  that  lies  before  me,  and  their 
memory  is  yet  pleasant  as  the  "fragrance  of  flowers  fresh 
fallen."  Many  still  survive,  and  from  them,  scattered  all 
over  the  land,  come  frequent  letters  of  congratulation  and 
cordial  greeting.  One  of  these,  who  fought  bravely  in  the 
Southern  army  during  the  late  war,  writes  from  a  North- 
ern State :  *'l!^o  one  entering  upon  a  field  of  duty  so 
conscientiously  as  yourself,  need  have  any  fears  of  ultimate 
success ;  and  I  am  sure  the  University  is  far  better  off 
than  when  it  was  first  put  into  operation,  after  the  revo- 
lutionary war ;  and  I  should  judge  the  State  authorities 
intend  it  shall  prosper.  With  my  best  wishes  for  your 
success,"  &c.  Another  from  the  far  South :  "I  hope, 
my  dear  sir,  you  have  not  forgotten  me,  as  I  entertain  a 
most  distinct  and  pleasant  memory  both  of  yourself  and 
your  class  room.  Many  of  my  class-mates  were  killed 
near  me  in  the  army  of  Virginia,  and  I  myself  am  writing 
to  you  with  my  left  hand,  having  had  my  right  arm  ampu- 
tated at  the  shoulder  joint  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,''  &c. 
And  a  class-mate  writes,  "  The  University  must  be  made  a 
great  power  for  good.  Of  its  final  success  in  your  hands 
I  have  no  doubt ;  not  however  without  opposition.  The 
press  will  growl,  prejudices  will  be  excited,  ridicule  at- 
tempted.    But  I  trust  that  in  the  genuine  spirit  of  the 


great  Apostle,  you  may  truly  say,  *iione  of  these  things 
move  me.' "  And  from  another  class-mate,  an  intimate 
associate  in  the  morning  of  our  youth,  now  filling  a  position 
of  usefulness  and  honor  in  Delaware;  and  recently  from  a 
College-mate,  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  residing  in  a  sister 
State,  quoting  in  his  letter  to  me  a  prayer  he  had  just 
been  offering  in  his  closet  for  the  success  and  prosperity 
of  the  University.  And  from  ceijtral  and  eastern  and 
western  North  Carolina,  come  these  messages  full  of  hope 
and  encouragement."  More  recently  a  distinguished 
graduate  writes,  *^My  mind  often  recurs  in  moments  of 
leisure  to  my  alma  mater.  It  is  the  spot  where  the  best 
memories  of  my  past  centre.  And  I  trust  that  under  your 
management,  notwithstanding  the  prejudices  that  have 
been  excited  against  it,  the  University  will  eclipse  its 
former  prosperity."  And  still  more  recently,  from  a  class- 
mate who  stood  side  by  side  with  me  in  our  four  years  of 
generous  rivalry  in  the  recitation  room,  and  halls  of  the 
Ph|j|inthropic  Society,  and  who  has  since  received  a  flat- 
g  popular  vote  for  Congress,  *'I  have  often  recurred 
with  pleasure  to  my  alma  mater — ^her  classic  memories 
and  the  generous  rivahy  of  my^ fellows  there.  In  a  few 
<^  years  more,  with  God's  blessing,^  shall  have  two  sons 
^^  prepared  for  College.  I  wish  them  to  be  educated  at  the 
University  where  their  fether  was.  I  conceive  it  to  be  the 
duty  of  every  patriotic  and  chivalrous  !N'orth  Carolinian 
to  build  up  and  sustain  the  University,  and  to  promote 
the  cause  of  education  throughout  the  masses.  Let  us 
correspond  and  remember  the  days  of  yore."  And  since 
the  opening  of  the  present  new  year,  from  a  gifted  clergy- 
man of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  now  residing  in 
5  a.  distant  State,  but  belonging  to  one  of  the  tnost  respect- 
able and  highly  esteemed  families  in  ij^Torth  Carolina,  **I 
retain  very  high  veneration  for  the  University.  And 
although  I  left  her  under  trying  circumstances,  and  was 
not  able  to  reap  the  frill  benefit  of  her  training,  still  I 
have  endeavored  not  to  bring  her  into  'disrepute." 

The  Alumni  are  dispersed  over  nearly  every  State  of 
the  Union.    By  many  of  them  their  alma  mater  will  be 


.'^••' n,  y-^ ;  v-"  t  - , -^  ;;  t.  > .'?  -r ^  \  -^  ^  - 
ever  warmly  cheiished.    Should  one  of  them  ever  wilfully 
add  to  her  embarrassment  ? 

Before  the  Institution  can  give  promise  of  great  pros- 
perity and  usefulness,  the  debt  must  be  paid,  the  property 
redeemed  and  the  former  endowment  replaced.  In  the 
.present  impoverished  condition  of  our  people,  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  this  should  be  done  by  taxation.  As  already 
intimated,  many  of  these  claims,  especially  those  due  the 
estate  of  the  former  President,  and  perhaps  all  others,  are 
entirely  just  and  should  be  met.  The  doors  of  the  Uni- 
versity ought  not  to  be  closed  for  debt,  nor  should  it  be 
allowed  to  languish.  At  this  crisis  in  its  affairs,  I  venture 
as  an  alumnus,  to  submit  the  following  propositions : 

1.  That  the  Alumni  and  friends  of  the  University  unite 
in  an  effort  for  its  rescue.  That  they  address  the  Treas- 
urer of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  stating  the  amount  they 
will  contribute  to  pay  off  its  legal  debts.  Payment  to  be 
made  when  there  shall  have  been  responses  enough  to 
cover  the  entire  indebtedness.  I  have  this  day  addressed 
such  a  letter  to  the  Treasurer,  offering  to  give  one  thou- 
sand dollars  ($1000)  for  this  purpose  so  aoon  as  the  remain- 
der of  the  required  sum  shall  be  covered  by  contributions 
of  from  $10  to  $1000,  or  more. 

2.  I  propose  to  such  professed  Mends  as  have  mani- 
fested so  great  concern  for  the  Institution,  and  during  the 
last  two  years  have  honored  me  by  their  frequent  notices, 
that  if  each  one  of  them  who  has  borne  part  in  the  public 
defamation  of  the  University,  will  give  more  reasonable 
and  substantial  evidence  of  sincere  interest  in  its  welfare, 
by  the  contribution  of  a  sum  equal  to  that  offered  by  my- 
self, I  will,  at  once,  if  they  desire  it,  resign  my  position 
and  they  may  have  control  of  the  Institution.  The  debt 
being  thus  paid,  I  would  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
my  successor  enter  upon  duty  with  better  promise  than 
was  given  me.  For  the  present  it  will  occasion  no  sur- 
prise if  I  decline  to  quietly  surrender  the  University  to 
any  one  of  those  whose  friendship  must  be  determined  by 
their  zeal  in  defaming  it,  rather  than  by  their  liberality  in 
rescuing  it  from  the  grasp  of  its  creditors. 

SOLOMON  POOL. 
Chapel  Hill,  Jan.  26,  1871. 


Caylord  Bros. 

Makers 
Syracuse,  N    Y. 

PAT.  Ml.  24.  I9es 


04777 


LJ^ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNIA  UBRARY 


